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To Bed A RifleUsing The Pillar Method

1. Disassemble rifle - suggest removing trigger, safety and bolt release. (After bedding install these parts into action and relieve areas in stock so they will fit without contacting stock.)

2. Apply release agent to metal (Brownells Acra-Release works well). Whatever you use, be liberal with it. The voice of experience is here to say that separating a stuck together barrel & stock is no fun whatsoever!

3. On a Remington, drill 5/8 diameter holes in stock for both front and rear guard screws. (Use a drill press if possible.)

4. The length of the pillar depends on your stock; you want one pillar for each guard screw that is just slightly shorter (1/16") then the length of the hole in the stock. Trim the pillars to desired length with a hack saw.*

5. On a Remington the screw thread is 1/4 x 28. Obtain 3" long screw with only a short section threaded. Cut off the head of the screw. Apply release agent to screw.

6. Make a 5/8" round washer out of a match book cover. Screw headless screws into receiver. Place washers on screws. Place pillars on screws.

7. Make sure the 5/8" holes in the stock are roughed up a bit so the epoxy has a "bite."

8. With the action setting upside down, place the stock onto the pillars. Set up fixtures so stock is not tilted to a side and so the action lines up in stock. Wrap the barrel with tape so as to center the barrel in the barrel channel.

9. Coat the inside of each pillar hole and each pillar respectively with epoxy (Marine Tex is my choice), then slide them down through the holes. This secures pillars in place in proper alignment. The outer area will be bedded when the pillars are cured. Tie action and stock with surgical rubber tubing. Let set 24 hours or as epoxy instructions state.

10. Remove action from stock. Do not pound on screws or action if it doesn't want to come undone. Freeze it and it will "pop" out.

11. Tape the recoil lug on sides, front and bottom with three layers of masking tape. Leave the rear of lug bare.

12. Hog out areas of wood (1/4") around pillar tops, recoil lug area. Drill 3/16" holes in stock where bedding will be about 1/8" deep.

13. With stock in vise set action in stock and make sure once again that action sets correctly in stock.

14. Mix and pour epoxy into hogged out areas. Set barrelled action into stock (still with headless guard screws and a lot of release agent). Squeeze out and wipe off excess epoxy. Taping outside of stock helps a lot here.

15. Let set-up. Do not hurry. You may need to put bedding compound on the bottom of pillars if the floor plate doesn't contact the pillars.

16. The next step is to drill out the pillars with a 17/64" drill. This is so the screws do not contact the sides of the pillars.

17. You are done. The idea is to let the rifle set up without any pressure that will bend or stress the action.